My worry was some of the ridiculous asking prices around the league. The package for Schnieder was atrocious. Who knows what the Flyers wanted. The early asking price for Bolland was downright stupid. Yes MacT should've offered what Toronto did, although as we've already seen with Vancouver, the asking price depends on the team you're trading him to.

I agree the first pick should have been in play, but NJ aside, not a single first was dealt at the draft for immediate help. The Sharks and Wings swapped picks but I hardly believe that counts. And it's not as if the Devils don't already have a goalie in Marty. I don't see Schnieder supplanting Brodeur if he can't even outlast Luongo.

The fact of the matter is we just don't know what could have been. I liked the idea of offering a second to Minnesota for Clutterbuck, but after seeing the price the Isles paid to get him, I'm glad MacT backed off.

All these trades at the draft were nothing but auctions. You had to pay a steep price for a slight upgrade. And that's not even counting if the GM just plain doesn't want to deal with you.

9th overall pick for a starting goalie on the good side of thirty isnt atrocious.

Yeah but we already know that the Canucks wanted a lot more from Edmonton then just 7th overall straight up for Schneider.

We do?

We dont "know" what they wanted. Im not saying we should have gone out and traded our pick for Schneider. I dont even want Schneider, but saying the 9th overall pick for a youngish starting goalie is an overpay is just flat out not the case at all.

The Vancouver board was in fits of rage after the deal. The Devils board was ecstatic. Go and look for yourself if you dont believe me.

We dont "know" what they wanted. Im not saying we should have gone out and traded our pick for Schneider. I dont even want Schneider, but saying the 9th overall pick for a youngish starting goalie is an overpay is just flat out not the case at all.

The Vancouver board was in fits of rage after the deal. The Devils board was ecstatic. Go and look for yourself if you dont believe me.

I would rather take a run at Couturier or Brayden Schenn. If the Flyers do indeed open the vault for Lecavalier, one of those two will have to go. Both of them are rfa after this season along with Claude Giroux.

Flyers arent going to be able to keep all three, especially if they sign Vinny.

MacT needs to wear his pokerface hard. He needs to come out of the gate strong and not do anything out of desperation.

Hes showing some signs of wisdom already at the draft, still a crapshoot..it does show some brains on his part though.

The chips are now even more in favor of MacT with Philly, (Coburn) with the Lecavalier signing. Lets see how MacT's closing abilities are, and see if he can fill some other holes with a capdump/ufa signing, this summer and see who he likes in training camp.

I don't like that he has said that Smytty will play the season.. the only way I can see him having succes is if he plays on a line with some fellow oly gold medalists like gagne for example.

MacT needs to wear his pokerface hard. He needs to come out of the gate strong and not do anything out of desperation.

Hes showing some signs of wisdom already at the draft, still a crapshoot..it does show some brains on his part though.

The chips are now even more in favor of MacT with Philly, (Coburn) with the Lecavalier signing. Lets see how MacT's closing abilities are, and see if he can fill some other holes with a capdump/ufa signing, this summer and see who he likes in training camp.

I don't like that he has said that Smytty will play the season.. the only way I can see him having succes is if he plays on a line with some fellow oly gold medalists like gagne for example.

We don't know that. That's what Dreger and other hacks were assuming but only the Canucks and Oiler's management know for sure..

If Gillis didn't ask for more from us than teams outside of the division/conference, then he's an even bigger idiot than I originally thought. I would be very surprised if he just wanted the pick straight up.

I'm not crazy about our draft other than Nurse. Dude has it all. Offensive upside might be limited but he'll be a cornerstone for us in a few years.

And I'm not down on MacT for lack of roster moves. It looks like Gillis used MacT to leverage a better deal out of NJ. If the Oil were offering the 7th +, it seems pretty obviously that Gillis had no desire to deal Schneider within the division. Same goes for Clutterbuck - Fletcher said flat out he wouldn't so can't flag MacT for that. Bolland is really the only guy that we might have has a shot at. Price was right, but I do wonder if The Hawks let him chose his destination in return for being a good soldier. Seems pretty fortuitous that he landed in his home town.

Plenty if time for MacT to deal with Hemsky and Horc. I didn't expect either of those guys to get moved at the draft anyways.

this is a great post. Bolland was the only name i liked available out there but he has had a battle with injuries in the last few years it seems. I think Chicago sent him to Toronto for exactly the reasons you specified. It seems pretty obvious to me.

The pick was 2 spots better...Unless you think they were going to take Horvat no matter what.

Still just assumptions based off past assumptions without information.

i think MacKenzie said there were two teams that had Horvat in their top 4 for rankings

Im happy we didnt get schneider, or more so ... i am happy we didnt have to over pay to acquire a goalie...and then have a 3.5M backup no one wants... an have the same crap defense with even less assets to use to acquire upgrades.

If Gillis didn't ask for more from us than teams outside of the division/conference, then he's an even bigger idiot than I originally thought. I would be very surprised if he just wanted the pick straight up.

This ^

As we approach compliance buyouts, ufa's and pending rfa's, and some potential waiver wire pickups. I have always felt that most deals in the nhl are made more on money and association with other players connections to other teams players, management ect, (when it comes to UFA status), and it comes down more to Gm connections or familiarity or comfortability with other gms making trades with one another.

Therefore, I never thought for a second a schneider to edm was even a remote possibility. Your first of all graded on how good of a trade it is between the division (only have to look at the glencross and brodziak deals to see that; and they aint even huge names)

Secondly, its never a possibility for both teams to win the trade at the same time, maybe van wins the deal in the long term if prospects and player pans out, maybe edm wins if schneider is dominating the division.

As for macts inability to acquire players they are all ufa's so unless a trade is in the works, i look at it as he is going to inquire but guys like Horton, clarkson have a huge market for there service.

i think MacKenzie said there were two teams that had Horvat in their top 4 for rankings

Im happy we didnt get schneider, or more so ... i am happy we didnt have to over pay to acquire a goalie...and then have a 3.5M backup no one wants... an have the same crap defense with even less assets to use to acquire upgrades.

the thing about schneider is i wasn't ever impressed with him in the playoffs, i remember joe thornton saying almost he was baffled that they switched Luongo for schneider. Schneider is no where a bust but even being in the east there is still quite a few goalies i would take over him.